Trevor writes:
The native species are still on small cells and they now
have varroa.  I do not see that the small cell of the
native South African species stopped them getting varroa.

Reply:
So the chinese did bring varroa to Africa way back then and
America too on the world wide trips in 1421. This is good
Trevor, for I think too that the mites could/may/might have
been here along and just needed a trigger or careful eye to
get us to notice them, especially by enlargement of combs
which seems to have triggered the care-ing that a problem
did exist, if not actually make a problem out of nothing,
that when sized back down stops being one.

So I agree with you that the small cell of the native South
African species did not stop them from getting varroa, but
perhaps the recent changes to larger sizing will rectify
that then, by creating an imbalance problem like the rest
of the world has, with reproduction in cells and sucking
the blood of adults.

Respectfully submitted,

Dee A. Lusby
Small Cell Commercial Beekeeper
Moyza, Arizona
http://groups/yahoo.com/group/organicbeekeepers/



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